Kenwood KR-4600 receiver and bulb repair

HTHMAN

Super Member
I just picked up a Kenwood KR-4600 that I spotted on Craigslist. Cosmetically it was in great shape with the only issues being scratchy pots and a burned out bulb in the signal strength meter. Of course, you can not buy a replacement bulb. Searching here gave some convoluted solutions, but I found a simple one.

Here is the one eyed picture before repair.

KenwoodKR46001.jpg


I checked the voltage at the lamp and got about 7v AC. Off to radio Shack to find something close. Found a 7.5v flashlight bulb.

KenwoodKR46002.jpg


I cut the leads off the old bulb and soldered them to the new bulb.

KenwoodKR46003.jpg


Push the boot back in place and it is a close replacement.

KenwoodKR46004.jpg


The old bulb was frosted and not quite as bright so I took a little white acrylic paint and put a thin coat on to dim it a bit. The finished product is close and cost just over $1 to do the repair.

KenwoodKR46008.jpg
 
Thanks. Not the most exciting receiver at only 30 wpc but one of the prettier I have seen. Bigger than it should be too, about 20 inches wide.

Sure looks nice in the dark

KenwoodKR4600dial.jpg
 
Night shot looks nice.
Receivers in general from that time were made in funky widths. I think the champ of wide bodies was the akai AS-980. I have a 970, and it's 23.5 inches wide.
 
Nice
I have the 5600. Nothing big or fancy, but a sweet sounding receiver. I been lucky I haven't had to replace a lamp yet.
One of the receivers I have had for years, and I have no desire to let it go.
 
Just did exactly the same thing last week on my KR-6400, except that I used #44's and #47's from Rat Shack. These old Kenny's are nice looking receivers, don't know why they don't get the respect ($$$) that very similar Marantz and Pioneers of the same age get. Some say it's the "sound". I think that's bunk, and I've had and listened to a lot of vintage receivers. Kenny's build quality was excellent.

100_4082.JPG
 
Just did exactly the same thing last week on my KR-6400, except that I used #44's and #47's from Rat Shack. These old Kenny's are nice looking receivers, don't know why they don't get the respect ($$$) that very similar Marantz and Pioneers of the same age get. Some say it's the "sound". I think that's bunk, and I've had and listened to a lot of vintage receivers. Kenny's build quality was excellent.
Nice looking unit. From the short time that I have had mine, I see no deficiencies in the sound. The only difference I see is the loudness roll-off is not as good as my other receivers. There seems to be a little too much boost at higher levels. Of course, that may relate to the efficiency of the speakers I have hooked to it.

The build quality seems to be quite good and the fact that it is still ticking after 40 years attests to that. My first CD player was a Kenwood. It was built like a tank and is still doing service in my outdoor system.

The only other Kenwood I owned was a gray plastic receiver and it truely was cheap crap. That stuff and the auto component line may have tainted the perception of Kenwood as serious vintage stuff. Perhaps some other Kenwood owners should post on their equipment. Maybe we can get the value up.
 
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